Spring has sprung, and in case you haven’t noticed, there are a lot of cool vibes happening on the hair circuit. Between accessory and styling revivals à la the ’90s and Y2K, to prismatic bursts of jewel-toned hues like scarlet and obsidian, currently, I’m craving it all. But especially when it comes to the latter—aka hair color.
Sure, I’ve remained unwaveringly loyal to my signature shade of blonde for my entire life, but if any crop of spring hair trends could convince me to make a major change, it’s this one. So, will this be the year I’ll finally change my monogamous ways when it comes to my trademark hue? It’s tough to say, but each of the below spring hair color trends has me in a chokehold, and I might just be ready to take the plunge. Keep scrolling! The seven most influential spring hair color trends of 2022 are just below. (Oh, and bleached brows—do you dare?!)
“With the resurgence of ’90s trends in fashion, hair color is becoming less blended and much more intentional,” notes celebrity colorist, Jeremy Tardo. “Think large panels of color juxtaposed against opposing shades. If your lifestyle works best with low-maintenance hair color, consider adding sections of color underneath or in the interior of your hair where regrowth will be less visible. A great line for color protection will help to keep your tones looking fresh for longer—I love Nou Nou from Davines.”
Oh, you thought we’d just be covering trends for the hair on our scalps? Nope—various brow trends have been growing in momentum over the past few years, and according to Tardo, certain looks (ahem, bleach!) will reach a fever pitch in 2022. “This spring we are seeing a lot of lightened brows,” he confirms. “Although mild brow bleaching can create a natural, softer appearance, this year, a stronger look is surfacing on the runways and amongst the fashion set, and I love the contrast of a light brow against dark hair for an otherworldly appearance.
Although we may not realize it, our brows are constantly growing and shedding. This means that if you are going to try a bleached brow look, you will need to refresh the lightening process frequently, but if you want to try the trend just temporarily, remember that it’s easy to redye or tint your brows back to their natural color. A purple shampoo like Sachajuan’s can be used on your brows once a week to keep the tone pure platinum, and not yellow.”
Not into the idea of completely altering the color of your actual brows? Try About-Face’s limited edition Fractal Glitter Brow Gel. Not only does it lend an ethereal hint of shimmer (so good for festival season), but there are also multiple shades to choose from like green, gold, white, and magenta. Or, if you want to really lean into the bleached trend, top your newly lightened brows off with the Fractal Glitter. (Yep, beyond!)
Spring always feels synonymous with leaning lighter, but consider 2022 the year of opposites. Read: The most unexpected hues for the season are what will be the most on-trend. “Not everyone is going lighter this season,” says Tardo. “We are doing a lot of dark brown and even jet black at the moment. Light reflects off of dark hair more easily than it does light hair, which means dark, statement hair has a shinier and healthier appearance. If you are going to wear your hair much darker than your natural color, opt for a demi-permanent color that will gradually lighten over time. This will allow for other color options when you are ready for your next hair change. Celeb Luxury makes a great range of brunette color shampoos as part of their Gem Lights range. Use their medium brown or their dark brown/black color shampoo to enrich your dark hair when the color fades.”
For something more permanent, we love IGK’s new at-home color range.
In case you had any doubts about the full-frontal resurgence of everything Y2K, the era’s signature chunky highlight trend is back with vengeance and giving us blast-from-the-past satisfaction where our hair is concerned. “Bright pieces of color are replacing subtle highlights this spring,” shares Tardo. “Even if you normally wear a blended look, a few stronger ribbons of lightness can add contrast without looking overly streaked. When getting highlights or balayage, ask your colorist for some strategically placed bolder accents. Your colorist can factor in the shape of your haircut when choosing where to place these color accents. For a bit of color-safe hold in your hairstyling, use House of Skuff Potion No 1 for fullness and texture that will separate your accent pieces beautifully.”
And because we personally believe in a “go big or go home” mentality here at Who What Wear, why not add a crimper to your next Amazon shopping haul to accentuate your highlights even further?
“As a rule of thumb, I tend to avoid subscribing to colors that fall under a trendy umbrella, but there have definitely been a few tones that my clients have been requesting as of late,” shares master colorist and co-founder of Highbrow Hippie, Kadi Lee. Golden, sun-kissed shades of brunette, she notes, in particular.
“The hair is first gently and finely painted, slightly off the root, being careful to not lighten past three shades from the natural color. Layers of gloss are then applied and left on for a minimum of 15 to 20 minutes, for maximum saturation, shine, and staying power. The result is a reflective brunette with natural movement. The key here is to avoid that obvious highlighted look, and to leave others wondering if the final result could, in fact, be your natural hair color!” This shade is ideal for the warmer months as we enter a low maintenance period where the last thing clients crave is having to maintain their hair color.”
“Though soft, one tone/single process red shades have been all over our feeds recently, I have been focused on creating red looks that are amplified with major dimension,” Lee emphasizes. “The key is to keep the look slightly darker at the root with just the slightest touch of brown to ‘ground’ the color in a sense, thus creating a strong, believable foundation. (Because even the brightest natural-born redheads always have a more neutral root!) I then recommend ribbons of this deeper red formulation be painted throughout the undersection of the hair—think the parts of the head not apt to be exposed to the sun—and all of the rest of the hair, about 75–85%, be saturated in a more vibrant shade of red.
“For extra interest, once the hair is rinsed, a very subtle highlight can be painted at the sink, just on the area framing the face, and on selected tips. This is for five to 10 minutes max, with the final step being an allover copper gloss left on for a minimum of 15 minutes.”
“The days of unnatural ash or platinum blondes have come and gone. Now, it’s all about rich, buttery blondes with a decidedly ’70s retro meets ’90s supermodel vibe,” Lee says. “This shade is popular because of its universally flattering tone on most skin colors and hair textures. It’s all about reflection and shine. Whether you’re skewing more towards beige or wheat or gold, the underlying tone should be warm in order to emulate that endless summer vibe.”
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